Universal lavatory leg adapter



July 12, 1955 E 2,712,652

UNIVERSAL LAVATORY LEG ADAPTER Filed July 51, 1952 LbQ A Y 5 :1 F761 9 22 19 I :2T' INVENTOR.

2o ERWIN REED Maw- ATTORNEYS United States Patent UNIVERSAL LAvAroRr LEG ADAPTER Erwin Reed, University Hei hts, Ohio; William Friedman, executor of the estate of Erwin Reed, deceased, assignor to Reedironies Corporation, South Euclid, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application July 31, 1952, Serial No. 301,949

6 Ciaims. (Cl. 4-176) This invention relates generally to a lavatory leg adapter, but has reference more particularly to an adapter designed for use in connection with virtually all standard makes or designs of wash bowls, basins, sinks, enameled plumbing ware, and the like.

In the Vanderbeek Patent No. 2,535,613, for example,

there is disclosed a lavatory leg assembly, including a threaded stud or rod which supports a cup-shaped member or adapter which snugly engages a rectangularlyshaped lug formed or cast integrally with the under surface of the lavatory bowl.

it has been the custom of the different manufacturers of these lavatory bowls to utilize a particular form or shape of lug different from those used by other manufacturers, so that purchasers of lavatory leg assemblies are forced to purchase lavatory legs with adapters made or shaped to fit one or the other specific make of lavatory bowl. This compels a plumber or dealer, when ordering lavatory legs or lavatory leg assemblies, to specify the make of lavatory bowl, and to stock a large variety of legs or leg assemblies, corresponding in number to the number of different makes of lavatories. This not only requires a large capital investment for inventory, but is frequently a source of great nuisance in that the plumber or dealer may be out of one particular design of adapter and cannot use those of other designs.

it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an adapter of the character described which is so designed as to permit its use in connection with virtually every type or form of lavatory lug now on the market, irrespective of the form or shape of the lug.

Another object of the invention is to provide a universal adapter of the character described, the use of which overcomes all of the aforesaid disadvantages and objections from the standpoint of economics and practicability.

A further object of the invention is to provide a universal adapter of the character described, which is extremely simple in design, and can be manufactured at relatively low cost and sold in commercially desirable quantities.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent during the course of the following description. In the accompany drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a view illustrating the use of the adapter in connection with a lavatory bowl of standard manufacture;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the adapter, taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the use of the adapter in connection with another lavatory bowl of standard manufacture;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but showing the use of the adapter in connection with another lavatory bowl of standard manufacture;

Fig. 7 is a fra mentary cross-sectional view, taken on the line 77 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 6, but showing the use of the adapter in connection with still another lavatory bowl of standard manufacture;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8, and

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of the adapter.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 10 of the drawings, the adapter will be seen to comprise a metallic member cast, forged, or otherwise manufactured in one piece, said member comprising a cylindrical stem 1 and a body portion surrounding the stem and generally designated by reference numeral 2.

T he body portion 2 has a fiat bottom 3 of rectangular outline, and spaced side walls 4 and 5 having vertical fiat outer surfaces.

The side walls 4 and 5 have upper edges 6 which are parallel with the flat bottom 3 and have ends 7 and 8, one of which is inclined oppositely to the other, these ends terminating at points intermediate the bottom 3 and edge 6, and from which point short ledges or shoulders 9 and 10 extend, which are parallel with the bottom 3. From the outer ends of these ledges or shoulders 9 and it ends 11 and 12 extend, one of which is inclined oppositely to the other, these ends terminating at the bottom- 3. The ends 11 and 12, it may be noted, are inclined more sharply, i. e., are steeper, than the ends 7 and 8.

The side walls 4 and 5 form an open-ended channel 13 therebetween, said channel being defined by a wall, the upper portions 14 and 15 of which are inclined as shown in Figs. 7 and 9, the lower portion 16 of which is substantially semi-circular in cross-section, this lower portion being partially closed at one end, as by means of a dam or stop 17 which serves a purpose to be presently described.

The adapter is provided with a central vertical opening 18, the upper end of which is countersunk, as at 19, and is counterbored, as at 20, the counterbore being threaded for connection to the stud or rod 21 of a lavatory leg assembly.

in drilling the countersink 19, the drill removes a portion of the metal of the adapter, forming a cylindrical hole 22 in the walls of the adapter, just above the countersink.

A conventional lavatory bowl 23 is shown in Fig. l, the lavatory bowl being provided with a marginal flange or skirt 24. The bowl 2.3, in this instance, is provided at points adjacent the front corners of the bowl, with lugs or projections 25, each of which is rectangular in horizontal cross-section, and tapers downwardly, the vertical transverse cross-section of the leg being lilustrated in Fig. 2.

The adapter 2 snugly engages the lug 25 in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the wall surfaces 14 and 15 of the channel 13 between the walls 4 and 5 conforming to the cross-sectional contour of the lug 25, as shown in Fig. 2.

The wedging engagement of the adapter with the lug 25 is sufficiently strong to prevent displacement of the adapter under all normal conditions. However, and as an added precaution, in the event the supporting leg 26 of the lavatory bowl is kicked or pushed with unusual force, the dam or stop 17 functions to abut the front of the lug, thereby preventing displacement of the adapter from the lug.

In Figs. 4 and 5, another lavatory bowl 27 of standard manufacture is depicted in which, instead of a single lug 25, a pair of spaced lugs 28 and 29 is provided, which are similar in general to the lug 25. In this case, the adapter is positioned between the lugs, with the edges 6 of the adapter engaging the bowl, and the inclined ends 11 and 12 wedgingly engaging the lugs, as in Fig. 4.

In Figs. 6 and 7, another lavatory bowl 330 of standard manufacture is shown, in which the lug 31 is tapered downwardly, but is of circular cross-section. In this case, the upper end of the lug just fits the space between the upper edges 6 of the Walls 4 and 5, and the lower rounded end of the lug fits into the opening 18, thereby precluding displacement of the adapter from the lug.

In Figs. 8 and 9, the bowl is provided with lugs 33 which are in the form of a rectangular frame or cup formed integrally with the bowl, the inner surfaces 34 of the lug being inclined. In this case, the body 2 of the adapter fits within the lug, with the Walls 4 and 5 just fitting within the space at the bottom of the lug, and the inclined ends 7 and 8 wedgingly engaging the surfaces 34, thereby precluding displacement of the adapter from the lug.

The adapter is also designed to fit other standard makes of lavatory bowl lugs, but the four herein illustrated represent the major proportion of all lavatory bowls now being sold.

It is thus seen that I have provided an adapter which is designed to permit its use in connection with virtually every type or form of lavatory lug now on the market, irrespective of the form or shape of the lug, which overcomes all of the disadvantages and objections inherent in existing types of adapters, and which is extremely simple in design and can be manufactured at relatively low cost and sold in commercial desirable quantities.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention, herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of my invention, or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An adapter of the character described comprising 4 a metallic member having a cylindrical stem and a body portion surmounting the stem, said body portion having a flat bottom of substantially rectangular outline and spaced side walls forming an open-ended channel, said side walls having upper edges parallel with a flat bottom, said side walls also having ends, one of which is inclined oppositely to the other, said ends terminating at points intermediate the bottom and upper edges, and short ledges extending from said points parallel with the bottom.

2. An adapter, as defined in claim 1, in which other ends extend downwardly from the outer ends of said ledges and terminate at the bottom, said ends being oppositely inclined to each other and being steeper than said first-named ends.

3. An adapter, as defined in claim 2, in which said channel is defined by a wall, the upper portions of which are inclined and the lower portion of which is substantially semi-circular in cross-section.

4. An adapter, as defined in claim 3, in which said lower portion of the channel is partially closed at one end, as by means of a darn.

5. An adapter, as defined in claim 4, in which a central vertical opening is provided, the upper end of which is countersunk, said opening being threaded.

In an adapter of the character described, a body having a bottom and a pair of upstanding parallel side walls forming a channel, said walls having upper edges parallel to said bottom, and each of said walls having an angularly inclined end extending between said bottom and said upper edge of said side wall, said end of said side wall having a portion thereof disposed at a greater degree of angularity to said upper edge than another portion thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 950,691 Firth Mar. 1, 1910 1,539,112 Gloekler May 26, 1925 2,247,235 Hause June 24, 1941 2,535,613 Vanderbeek Dec. 26, 1950 

